News-Sports.net - Nov 02,2010 - ESPN will honor veterans and troops of the United States armed services November 6-11 with America’s Heroes: A Salute to Our Veterans, culminating in special SportsCenter editions live from U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr Parade Field in Grafenwoehr, Germany, Thursday, Nov. 11. The schedule of programs will connect sports with military service and pay tribute to those who have served and do so today. Additionally, throughout the week, ESPN will carry messaging on its various U.S. platforms to drive donations to the USO in support of the troops, their families, veterans and wounded warriors.

Programming Highlights:

On Saturday, Nov. 6, College GameDay (9 a.m. ET on ESPNU, 10 a.m. – noon on ESPN and ESPN Mobile TV) will profile Indiana University college football player Kevin Bush, a military veteran.

On Sunday, Nov. 7, Bob Ley will host Outside the Lines (9 a.m., ESPN) live from the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. The show will feature an essay by Ley on World War II vets who played professional sports. Another piece will take a closer look at the nation’s first golf course designed for disabled veterans, The American Lake Veterans Golf Course, located at the Veteran's Administration Hospital near Seattle. The segment will include an interview with golf legend Jack Nicklaus, who volunteered to redesign the existing nine holes and design a second nine holes.

Sunday’s tribute will continue with stories about Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress and his son Marine Lance Cpl. Andrew Childress on Sunday NFL Countdown (11 a.m., ESPN), and about former NASCAR owner and decorated WWII veteran Bud Moore, recently selected in the second class of inductees to the NASCAR Hall of Fame, on NASCAR Countdown (2 p.m., ESPN).

On Monday, Nov. 8, Jay Crawford and Dana Jacobson will host First Take live from the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier in Norfolk, Va. (10 a.m., ESPN2). That evening, a special edition of Friday Night Fights will pit Heriberto Ruiz against Rico Ramos in a 10-round junior featherweight main event following two Marine Corps amateur bouts from the United States Marine Corps Air Station in Jacksonville, N.C. (8 p.m., ESPN2, ESPN3.com and ESPN Mobile TV).

Monday Night Countdown (7 p.m., ESPN) will offer a feature about an event the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted for wounded veterans. The pregame show will lead into Monday Night Football (Pittsburgh Steelers at Cincinnati Bengals) at 8:30 p.m., which will include joint messages from the NFL and ESPN supporting the USO and in-stadium activities on the field. Earlier in the day, ESPN will also host a MNF Chalk Talk event at the Cincinnati Music Hall where 20 disabled veterans and 30 active duty military members will be present.

On Tuesday, Nov. 9, The Herd with Colin Cowherd (10 a.m. – 1 p.m., ESPN Radio/ESPNU) and SportsNation with hosts Cowherd and Michelle Beadle (4 p.m., ESPN2) will both originate from the United States Military Academy at West Point.